Historical Fiction Set in the Middle East

Set during and after the Iranian Revolution, this book begins when rare gem dealer Isaac Amin is arrested on suspicion of being a spy. As Isaac navigates the terror of prison, his family must try and keep their life together while desperately trying to find him and navigate a society where they are no longer able to trust those around them. Through one family’s story, readers see the history of the Iranian revolution and its long-term impacts within Iran and within the Iranian diaspora. 

Beginning in World War I in the British Mandate in Palestine, Esau follows the Levy family across generations and up to the mid-1970s. Beginning with parents Abraham and Sarah, the family’s story is told by Esau, who left for America when his brother, Jacob, married Leah, whom Esau had hoped would choose him. When Esau returns because Abraham is dying, he begins recounting the story of his and Jacob’s childhood, as well as the lives of their parents. Esau is both a reimagining of the Biblical story of sibling rivalry and inheritance and a sweeping history and family story. 

Moving between the past and recent days, The Map of Salt and Stars weaves together twelfth and twenty-first century Syria. When Nour’s father dies, her mother moves her and her sisters from New York City to Syria to be closer to family. To keep her father’s memory alive, Nour recounts one of their favorite stories to share, the tale of Rawiya, a twelfth-century girl who disguised herself as a boy in order to work as a mapmaker. But in the present, Nour’s home is increasingly under threat from shelling, and when their home is hit, her family must follow in the footsteps of Rawiya as they undertake their own, lengthy journey.

In seventeenth-century Isfahan, Persia, a young woman’s future is shattered when her father dies without leaving her with a dowry. With a lack of marriage prospects, she must move in with her uncle, a rug designer for the Shah’s court, and work in his household as a servant. Told with an emotional, first-person narrative style, The Blood of Flowers follows her growth as a gifted rug maker and the choices she must make in order to achieve autonomy in her life.

When reading about Egyptian history, Cleopatra’s name is often one of the first to come up, but her story is often filtered through others’ perspectives and observations. In her new novel Cleopatra, El-Arifi offers a fictionalized account of Cleopatra’s life, with a focus on the myths and falsehoods that were cultivated about her by those looking to downplay her power. Readers who have enjoyed mythical retellings centered around women will enjoy this book for the complexity it adds to Cleopatra’s existing story. 

If you’re a fan of historical fiction, the Book Riot archives have plenty of suggestions once you’re finished with the books above! Consider these historical fiction books with dual timelines or these stories set in the Pacific Islands. And be sure to check out this list of the best historical fiction books of the century (so far).